Ｉｎｔｉｍａｔｅ

       Ｂｒｙｓｏｎ laid the red and black striped blanket under the oak tree where they both seated. The shadow shade them from the blazing light of the sun but, their position still gave them the best view of the open field. Daisy don't know how long they will stay at the secret paradise.

If only she would be given a choice, she rather stay there for eternity, build her own home and probably bury herself with all these amazing and beautiful flowers but, of course, that's not going to happen anytime soon. Daisy might be stressing out about her problems yet, her brain is still at the right place and there are more important matters that needed her attention and besides she isn't an egocentric person and let her mom suffer and endure everything all by herself.

The guy rummage inside the basket that he brought with them and afterwards, he pulled out lots of foods. She just watched Bryson set up everything, there are bottle of water, soda in can, sandwiches, fruits and salad in a Tupperware. She can't believe the guy prepared so much for them, Daisy thought they were only going to sightseeing- clearly, Bryson had another plan in mind. A picnic at the most wonderful place she had ever seen, who wouldn't love it anyway? With the guy in front of her, she discovered a lot of things and experienced something she had never done before.

'Don't look at me like that.' Bryson muttered whilst scratching the back of his neck. He's like embarrassed for something he put a lot of his effort into.

'This is my first time doing it so, I don't know if I did it right.'

Daisy gushed at how cute he was, looking sheepish then avoiding making eye contact with her. She really appreciate the effort, it makes her overlooked at the time when Bryson always prioritized her before himself, he was truly such a sweet and caring person.

'Here. Eat now, it was almost past the lunch time.'

Daisy picked the sandwich first and took a bite to taste it. She then dig her phone out inside her jeans pocket and typed something on it.

'Did you made these sandwiches?' She hand it over to Bryson who are now eating his share of food too.

'Yes. I told you, there are so much more in my cooking skills. How does it taste?'

'It's good. I like it.'

Bryson twisted the cap of water bottle and then gave it to her which she thanked for being considerate.

'I'm glad you like it.'

The daylight that peeked in the crevice of the tree gave an illusion of a thousand light bulbs which illuminates them. It deflect on Bryson's face once in a while because of the movements whenever the wind blew the branches. His brown hair was tousled, the loose strands hanging on his forehead and the ocean blue eyes complement the all in all look, like he was having a photoshoot instead of just enjoying the food he's eating.

Daisy couldn't seem to avoid looking at the guy— like there's a magnet pulling her whenever she tried to keep her eyes away from his face. She just stared and stared at the guy, his jaw tightening and flexing every time he took a bite of the sandwich and his tongue poking out of his mouth whenever he licked the dressing that left a stained on his protruding lower lip.

Daisy swallowed hard because of the sudden heat that came rushing and obtruding in her whole body. She just took a sipped of her water and tried to focused her attention elsewhere.

'So, what can you say about the place?'

'It's really beautiful and majestic. How did you find this place anyway?'

'Well, I know this place since my childhood. Dad always took us when he wanted to camping or hiking and we discovered this place when I was eight. It was really different then, the flowers were just only sprouting so it was almost empty. I just remembered it a few days ago and I plan to really bring you here cause I know you'll really love it. Its just the perfect timing that I want to make you happy but,  at the same time I also wanted to do what I have been planning on for a long time.'

All those time that he was telling her his discovery of this place, his attention solely focused at her. The words were being conveyed through his own ocean that it's so hypnotizing, you couldn't let yourself being lost yet, you still want to take the risk.

Planning to do? That words only just sunk in to her distracted mind that makes the confusion settled on her face. What does that mean?

'What do you mean?' Daisy thought if the guy has another plan or surprise for her. It's too much already and she can't possibly handle another one for its enough with her just to feel and being in his presence.

'I mean, asking you to be mine.' From the way he said those words, felt like Bryson was challenging her to refused or reject it. He's like demanding her to accept it as she doesn't really have a choice. Mine. What does the word really mean? Like being his property? That was the first time someone asked her to be their mine so Daisy doesn't really know the indication of that simple word.

Seeing the conflicted looked on her face. Bryson chuckle and run his hand through his hair before standing up and sitting behind her. Daisy just stay stilled as she don't know what the guy was trying to do. After a moment, she felt his thick arms encasing her waist in a tight hugged and rests his face on her right shoulder. Bryson pulled her in, they are so close that it took her breathe away, her back was leaning against his muscular and broad chest as his intertwined fingers were placed on her stomach.

Daisy stiffened because of the unexpected behavior. Her face was most likely can compete the sun because of the heat flowing in it. She might be looked like a boiled octopus right now but, she like their position very much that she can't help but to enjoy the moment and inclined her body closer.

'Baby. When I said I want you to be mine, it literally means, I want you to be my girl. Don't tell me, you don't know what I meant?'

Daisy shook her head and Bryson just planted a swift kissed on her shoulder. Even though, his lips only made contact with her sweater, it still made the butterfly in her stomach run a havoc and riot like they were trying to come out from its cage.

'Yea of course you don't. I don't want to put meaningless or typical label in our relationship but, surely from now on, where are not just a friend. I mean, if nodding your head when I announced my hidden agenda isn't the answer, then I don't know what it is. But, you're mine now shorty and I wouldn't let you take it back whether you change your mind or not. I'm not letting you go now that you agreed in becoming my world. Of course, that goes the same treatment with me, I am already yours from the very beginning anyway so, you don't have to worry about it.'

Daisy felt like she was floating in a cloud nine just by hearing those words coming out from the guy that is overclouding her mind right at that moment. Still befuddled and a dazed state, Daisy's brow furrowed as she doesn't really know how does it work. So, what now, are they just going to occasionally hang out even more? But they already had done that even when they were just a friend. Or are they supposed to have such intimate activity like what they're doing right now?

Daisy typed on her phone immediately to cleared her mind from confusing thought.

'Am I your girlfriend now? Please elaborate, I don't know how it works and this is my first time having this kind of relationship with someone.'

Bryson chuckled after reading her message over her shoulder where his chin pressed firmly. The guy strained his hold on her stomach even more like he wanted their body to fusion or something.

'Well. . . Like as I said earlier, I don't want to put any label in our relationship caused it's not really important as long as we have a mutual understanding and feeling. You're mine and I am yours that's it. But, if you want to think and put it that way, so be it. Its just that, the girlfriend-boyfriend stuff is like a temporary thing for me and. . . I don't want to be your temporary, I want to be your lifetime. The one and only. Did you get me baby?' Bryson said in his husky and deep voice- it brings a shiver that run down her spine. He sounds very sexy like he just woke up from a peaceful sleep.

The wind also decided to joined them together with the congenial smell of the flowers. Daisy took a moment to process everything he said, trying to store each and every words in her mind and make a sense of it. How could she think straight anyway if Bryson is holding her like he's afraid she'll slip away in his grip and evaporate?

'I can almost see the wheels turning in your head baby.' Bryson said when he didn't get a response from her.

'Do we like, go on a dates or something?' She questioned after a minute of silence.

'Yeah. It's hard to explain how this thing works honestly cause this is also my first time being in such a serious relationship. But, I'll do anything to make it perfect for you shorty. Let's just both discover what the other's can offer and by discover means. Going on a date, hanging out in each other's place. . . I mean we could do anything you want. I'm always by your side anyway. And there are also some things included in our relationship that more intimate but, I know you're not ready for that yet. . .' Bryson trailed off. Cutting himself off for the next words that just makes Daisy more curious. More intimate? Isn't what they're doing right now was intimate enough?

'Can you please tell me what it is?' She signed while titled her face sideway to looked at Bryson.

From Bryson's current position, she can feel his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed his saliva. Bryson picked up the plastic fork and stabbed the bite-sized fruit before feeding her the strawberry. Daisy opened her mouth to accept the food and chewed it slowly. The juice slightly driveled on her bottom lip but, before she could even wipe it off, Bryson beat her to it. He raised his right hand slowly from the previous comfortable position and swiped the fluid using his thumb before he brought it to his lips and sucked the juice on his finger.

Daisy's mouth slackened and she wanted to turned around and hide her face on his chest because of the inhibition. The fluttering of her heart didn't even helped her situation as it feels like it's going to burst any second.

'Let me just demonstrate to you how more intimate I'd meant.' Before daisy could even react or questioned Bryson's words. She felt his hand cupped the back of her neck, turned it sideway and tilted it upward to face him. Daisy's eyes went wide open like a saucer when a feathery, soft but plump thing brushed her lips.

It only happened in just a seconds, she couldn't even believe if it really occured. What did just happened? What does that... what? How? Why? Now her mind was in disheveled and the butterflies inside her stomach finally found their way out— galavanting outside, rejoicing and joining the flowers in front of them.

Bryson smiled sweetly at her like he didn't just kissed her. What? Did he just kissed her? Is it really considered as a kissed? He just f— kissed her and it was so mind-blowing even though it feels like just a passing wind.

'Close your mouth baby before I do that with my own.' The guy chuckled seeing her still shell-shocked expression. She just gaped while his smile turned into something smugness and satisfaction, loving how she reacted and how it affects her.

'Well. . . Now you have a preview of the things that I plan to do with you.'

Bryson placed again his face on her shoulder like nothing happened and sighed in contentment. She gazed at the side of his face in bewilderment. The guy just closed his eyes and pressed his face in crevice her neck.

'I fucking really want to kiss you again baby. But, I know its too much for you already. So I need to control myself even more.' Bryson murmured in the crook of her neck that made her heart do a back flipped. Is this really how intimate feels like? Because, she was already hyperventilating. Daisy pressed both of her hands on her face, it's still burning not because of the heat but, for something that most likely will never leave its place anytime soon.

'By the way. I lied to you about meeting up with my groupmates yesterday.'

Daisy removed her hands on her face afterwards and just played with Bryson's fingers on her stomach while waiting for his explanation as to why he lied. It's not like she's upset— just feel dissapointed.

'I went to the mall to buy the necklace. When I saw it, I knew instantly that it would really look perfect to you.'

Daisy stroked the pendant of the necklace and smiled to herself before looking at the right side to glanced at Bryson. She mouthed the words 'thank you'. Bryson smiled down at her and kissed her temple.

'You're always welcome shorty.'

They both enjoy each other's company with a comfortable silence. A few minutes later, Bryson spoke again.

'So tell me now baby. Why were you feeling so down this morning?' Daisy's mood immediately devitalized— bringing her back to her problems at hand. How could she forget about it? Of course, it'll never leave her alone.

Sensing her sudden changed of mood, Bryson unpressed his head up on her shoulder and looked at her sideway. He placed the loose strands of hair on her face behind her ears.

'Sorry if I upset you and ruined the mood.'

Daisy instantly shook her head sensing the slight tremor in his voice. She didn't mean to makes him feel bad just by asking something like that.

'It's okay. Its just. . . something happened to my grandpa.'

She typed shakily on her phone, biting down her lip to keep herself from a breakdown again. If someone was ruining their moment, it must be her. But, she doesn't want to tear down her new found safe haven in Bryson's arms and wallowed in self-pity because of the issue in her life that follow her wherever she goes.

'If you don't want to talk about it, its okay baby. Remember I'll go with your pace so, you don't have to force yourself yeah? I'll wait whenever you're ready.'

Daisy shook her head and looked down on her lap. Fiddling the device in her hands while inhaling the pleasing smell of the flowers to expels the melancholic feeling in her chest.

'My grandpa is diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and I just feel bad that I'm not there by his side to take care or support him.'

She hand her phone over to Bryson and wait for his reaction. The guy respired and slightly gasped.

'Baby I'm so sorry for asking you that. I didn't mean to distress you. . . I-I shouldn't stick my nose into your business and. . . Fuck. I'm sorry baby.' Bryson turned her around so that they were now facing each other.

She's straddling his lap while his hands were gently caressing her waist. There's a guilty looked on his face that couldn't take her conscience because, she was the reason why he feels sorry about her. Its not his fault. He didn't know her problem cause she had been a coward for not telling it.

'Hey baby look at me please.' The guy put both of his hands on her face and slanted it upward.

'I'm really sorry for upsetting you. I know I couldn't take it back anymore but, just remember that I am always here when you need someone to lean in okay? I'm not really good with words and I know cancer is not a joke. I don't want to say 'it's okay, your grandpa will get better' cause I can't prove that to you when I didn't have a single idea about it. But, don't lose hope okay? Even if you're not there beside him, I'm sure your grandpa can feel how much you care and love him.'

Bryson's voice was so velvety, so soft almost like a whisper meant for her ears only. It was soothing and it makes her tear up— not because of the sadness and heavy heart. She wanted to cry because how much she means her to him. Someone finally showed, make her feel alive again as she was like a corpse— barely breathing, barely hanging and dying while still breathing.

'Shh. Baby. Don't cry on me now. Please. I'm sorry I'm insensitive. I won't do it again kay? Don't cry baby.' The guy said in panic seeing the unshed tears in her eyes and the trembling of her lips for trying so hard to let her feelings at bay.

Daisy shook her head repeatedly and signed the word 'thank you' before wrapping her arms on Bryson's neck, burying her face on his shoulder and closing her eyes to feel the warm and comforting sensation.

The guy returned the favored by holding her close to him— their body were moulding with each other, their breathe intermingling in a synchronized soft cadenced with the natural scent coming from the flowers and a woody smell of the tree, heart beating with serenity and the same symphony.

'Remember that I will not going to leave you and I will always be here for you. Always. You're mine and forever Daisy.'

When Bryson is by her side, she felt like she can do anything, it brings her such strength to face everything as she will never be alone again. Just by being with Bryson was enough for her to fight her monster and dare the world with her head held up high and chin up like what her mother had always told her.

'A guy like Bryson is hard to find nowadays.'

Whatever the world throw at her, the people that will might judge and backstab her, the problems that will block her way or her demons that never leave her life. She will not let these shackle her steps from moving forward as from today onwards she has a man that will support her for she declared to herself.

I will not let him go.

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